Evolution and ethics viewed from within two metaphors: machine and organism

History and Philosophy of the Life Sciences 44 (1):1-17 (2022)
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Abstract

How is moral thinking, ethics, related to evolutionary theorizing? There are two approaches, epitomized by Charles Darwin who works under the metaphor of the world as a machine, and by Herbert Spencer who works under the metaphor of the world as an organism. Although the author prefers the first approach, the aim of this paper is to give a disinterested account of both approaches.

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10.1007/s40656-022-00482-2

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Michael Ruse
Florida State University

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References found in this work

The descent of man, and selection in relation to sex.Charles Darwin - 1898 - New York: Plume. Edited by Carl Zimmer.
The origin of species.Charles Darwin - 1859 - New York: Norton. Edited by Philip Appleman.
Principia Ethica.G. E. Moore - 1903 - Revue de Métaphysique et de Morale 13 (3):7-9.

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